So you want to go to sea

The first question I must ask is are you wise ?

You'll have to answer this yourself . Perhaps the questions below may help you decide
. In the UK I would strongly recommend that any one who does fall mad enough to go
to sea should train as either a deck or engineering officer . While there still are
openings for ratings they are becoming few and far between as companies flag out
and import cheaper foreign labour.

Are you physically fit ?

You need to be physically fit without any major medical problems to go to sea . You
will have to pass a medical exam at regular intervals . With a few exceptions , most
ships do not carry any doctors and if you are in mid ocean it can be a long time before
any proper medical staff can get to you , possibly weeks . If you want to be a deck
officer you need to have very good eyesight with good colour vision . Engineers also
need good eyesight but the entry requirements are lower . My advice is get your eyes
checked at an opticians first .

Are you aware that working at sea is a highly dangerous job ?

In general working at sea is classed among the most 10 dangerous jobs . Think on it
before going any further .

Do you get motion sick ?

If the answer is yes , forget a life at sea . Ships move , roll , pitch , yaw and everything
in between . Everyone feels a bit of motion sickness or discomfort in really rough
weather but if you can't cope with it don't torture yourself , a life at sea is not for you .

Can you do without sleep ?

Although regulations are coming into force to ensure adequate rest , there are times
when sleep is a luxury you only crave . Whether it is due to the weather , ships motion
, a hectic schedule or a breakdown , sleep is sometimes at a premium . If you really
must have your 8 hours every night without fail forget the about going to sea for a
career .

Are you willing to work odd hours ?

Generally onboard ship you have to work a shift system . However at times you will
be required to work outside those hours , normally for no extra compensation , it is all
part of the job .

Can ladies go to sea ?

Yes , jobs do exist but be warned they are hard to get and there is still a lot of male
ego out there . Your journey may not be the easiest .

Can You get on with people ?

Typical deep sea voyages can last from 3 months to 1 year . Depending upon the
vessel and its run you may never set foot on land until you leave the ship to come
home . Ship crews are shrinking all the time with the progress of automation and the
pressure of accountants . I think possibly the people seamen hate the most in all the
world are accountants . Anyway back to the question in hand . You HAVE to be able
to get on with the people you work with and to tolerate / accept their ideas and
cultures . There are very few places on a ship to hide from people that you dislike or
have fallen out with . In the event of an emergency the only people in the first
instance that can and will help you are your ship mates - it might help if you get on
with them .

It is also worth noting that many shipping companies for one reason or another have
multi-national crews . You need to be able to understand and accept different races
and cultures .

Can you stand extremes in temperature and weather ?

World-wide shipping does just as it says , it travels the world . From the bitterly
freezing conditions of an Alaskan , Canadian and Scandinavian winter to the heat of
the Tropics and the Persian Gulf . Temperatures can range from below -40 C to above
+40 C . The weather can be anything from sunny and calm to a stormy blizzard and
everything in between . Work doesn't stop just because it is hot , cold , sunny or
snowing . It is something to think about .

Do you mind working in hot , noisy and dirty places ?

It will happen no matter what department or rank you are . You will find that at
sometime a nasty dirty job will happen to come your way . It has to be done and you
will have to do it .

Can you swim ?

You need to be able to swim about 100 meters .

Are you claustrophobic ?

If you are a job at sea is probably not for you . Accommodation can be cramped and
some jobs mean entering small dark enclosed spaces .

Are you willing to do manual labour and be flexible in your job ?

At sea you have to work as a team , there is no one else to call to get the job done. At
times that means mucking in , even if it is not technically in your job description .

Do you suffer from home sickness ?

If you do , don't even consider going to sea . It is true that the technological revolution
is finally catching up with ships and communications by satellite and the like are
more accessible and affordable . However if you suffer from home sickness this won't
help you much , do yourself a favour and stay at home .

Are you married or in a steady relationship ?

If you are think carefully before going any further . Talk it over with your partner .
Working at sea does cause problems with relationships . Some relationships last but a
lot flounder . THINK CAREFULLY .

OK so you have got this far and think you can truthfully come to terms and accept the
previous questions what can you expect ?

Well to be honest for most people who work at sea , there is no other job like it and
despite the odd grumble they would not change their job for anything . There really is
no other job like it in the world . It is a job that regularly brings new challenges and
rarely can be compared to a 9 to 5 job .

Nature

Going to sea gives the mariner a chance to see mother nature in one of its most
unspoilt and raw environments left on earth . Views of the night sky show more stars
than most on land will ever see . Northern Lights are more spectacular , Nebulous
clouds clearer and comets and shooting stars more visible .
Seeing the bioluminescence caused by the ships wake lighting up the sea at night with
pale whites and vivid greens that sparkle and twinkle in the dark night sea is truly
amazing .
Virtually every sailor with a camera has an album full of beautiful sunrises and
sunsets .
The sight of Wandering Albatrosses in the Southern Oceans has made many a person
to put pen to paper . Dolphins and Porpoises playing in the wake or bow wave of the
ship . Whales blowing , a Humpback protesting at your presence by rising up out of
the water before slamming back down again . Seals far off the South African coast ,
Sharks , Flying Fish , Hugh Jellyfish and Manta Rays gliding in the ocean currents and
Turtles basking in the sun . All become a fabulous sight for the mariner and can be
counted as one of the benefits of the job .

However you also get to see the other side of mother nature , her unrivalled power .
Mountainous seas and wind in excess of 100 knots that cause ships to bend , twist and
contort under the extreme forces , all in front of your very eyes . I have seen deck
machinery weighing several tonnes that was welded and bolted to the main deck be
washed away with just one wave . Most ships survive this kind of weather , but is
worth remembering that some don't .

Places

As a world traveller you will get the chance to see foreign and exotic places , enough
to make all your friends envious . Be warned however , the time in port is getting less
and less and you may not always dock near any known civilisation . That said , there
are some wonderful sights and experiences to be had .

Entrance Requirements - Officer

UK

You normally require a minimum of 5 GCSE (or equivalent) and 2 A Levels (or
equivalent) exams , preferably one being either maths or physics . This will get you
entrance as a n officer cadet .

Normally most companies will sponsor a cadet through their training and require that
once you pass your exams you work for them for a period of time . Pay as a cadet is
poor until you pass your exams . The training can take from 3 years to 5 years
depending upon your entrance qualifications and what you are training to be . Don't
count on seeing much of home either during your cadetship . Voyages will typically
last between 3 to 6 months with 1 to 2 months leave . There will also be periods when
you will attend college . You need to pass the exams ( and there are a lot ) to remain
employed . Not all the exams and training is academic , some is practicable such as
fire fighting and basic sea survival .

There are 3 main types of cadet

Engineer Cadet - On passing all the exams normally becomes a 4th Engineer . Note if
you follow the engineering field you can only rise as high as Chief Engineer , you
can't become the Captain .

Deck Cadet - On passing all the exams normally becomes a 3rd Officer or 3rd Mate

Dual Cadets - On passing all the exams can become either 3rd Officer or 3rd Mate . It
is normally the case that dual cadets get to choose which department they want to
specialise in .

Command Structure

This is based on a typical UK ship , although it is similar all around the world .

Master or Captain

Deck

Engine

Chief Engineer or The Chief

Chief Officer or The Mate

2nd Engineer or The Second

2nd Officer or 2nd Mate

3rd Engineer

3rd Officer or 3rd Mate

4th Engineer

Deck Cadet

Engineering Cadet

Dual Cadet

Job Description

This is only a brief and general description based on UK deep sea operated ships .
Different companies and countries do have a slightly different job description .

Officers

Captain or Master

In overall charge of vessel and the companies representative onboard . He / She
insures that the vessel is legal and makes sure that local , international and company
regulations are followed and complied with . It is the Captain who usually deals with
all shore and port officials . The Captain also makes sure that proper logs and official
paper work is maintained and completed . He / She is also responsible for the well
being of the crew and the safety of the ship.

Chief Officer / The Mate

Overall responsibility for the maintenance of the deck , deck machinery and
accommodation . It is normally the Mate that delegates what deck jobs are to be done
to the ratings . He / She is also responsible for the safe loading and discharging of the
vessel . Generally the Chief Officer is the ships Safety Officer . The Mate normally
stands a navigational watch ( 4 - 8 ) and a cargo watch .

2nd Officer / 2nd Mate

Responsible for the upkeep of onboard publications and charts . Passage planning and
daily run figures are normally in his / her job description . Generally he / she is also
the designated Medical Officer and the designated GMDSS operator . The 2nd Mate
also has responsibility for certain areas of storing and normally stands a navigational
watch ( 12 - 4 ) and a cargo watch . The 2nd mate is expected to understudy the mate
.

3rd Officer / 3rd Mate

Responsible for the upkeep of all Life Saving Appliances and Fire Fighting
Equipment onboard. Normally also in charge of the flag locker . Generally also
designated as the Meteorological Officer the 3rd Mate normally stands a navigational
watch ( 8 -12 ) and a cargo watch . The 3rd mate is expected to understudy the 2nd
Mate and the Mate .

Chief Engineer

In overall charge of all the engine room and machinery spaces and answerable
onboard to ship to only the Captain . Generally the Chief ensures that all correct and
safe procedures are followed and that all the appropriate paper work is completed .
Sometimes the Chief may also be known as the Frosty and be responsible for the
refrigeration plant ( Reefer Ships and Container Ships )

2nd Engineer

Very much like the Mates job only in the engine spaces . He / she is in overall charge
of the engine room . The 2nd normally consults with the Chief to organise the
planned maintenance in the engine room .

3rd Engineer

Normally in charge of electrical systems and generation as well as system checks .

4th Engineer

Normally responsible for the purifiers and with another engineer normally does the
bunkering of the ship .

Engineers normally are on day work with a night on board roster to answer alarms .
Most engine rooms today are equipped with sensors and alarms to allow for an
unmanned machinery space (UMS) . Unless something goes wrong engineers do not
work shifts .

All officers are responsible for the training of cadets .

To become a cadet write directly to the shipping companies such as Shell , BP , P&O
, Cunard , Blue Star and Lowline . You might also get more information from the
Marine Society .